Means for supplying liquid to drums of concrete or other mixing machines



June 24, 1930. J. F. BURN ET AL 1,767,430

' MEANS FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID T0 DRUMS OF CONCRETE OR OTHER MIXING MACHINES Filed Feb. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. J. F. BURN E AL 'MEANS FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID TO mums OF CONCRETE OR OTHER MIXING MACHINES Filed Feb.

a m yea/roe; M A7700:

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES I JOHIlV FAI TLDER.BUBN,V ;OI F iONDCiN, AND JOI'Iib;STUAitT-LAlTCTR,

-, ENGLAND; WILLIAM "DEANS FORSTER AND THOMAS ALFRED BEBTRAM ;EXECUTORS OF SAIDIJOHN, FAULDER BUBN,; DECEASED MEANS FOR SUPPLYING mourn PATE NtrToFFic E; I

To iiiw v s or CONiGRETE on! OTHER ivrrx i ve 1MACHINES I Application filed February 7,1929, Serial 110,338,297, and in Great Britain Ja e 17,1928;

:This invention consists of improvements iii-means for supplying liquid to nnxing machines, such as concrete mixers, and it relates totheoperation of causing the liquid to enter the mixing vessel automatically at the most suitable momentwithout prolong; ing' the working time of the machine or making any extra demand upon the driving power-employed in the same. "Though our tion with the use of water in a 'conorete 11BX61, it 18 to be understood that itis not restricted to such an application, because it could easily be adapted for other purposes,

tionof the sand and the aggregate, which will absorb more-or less-water according to their porosity and existing moisture content, theonly fairly constant ingredient'being the cement,'the proportion of water for which can be gauged beforehand. We may find it convenienuthereforeto measure the volumeof water simply by means of a handoperated valve or the li ke and a suitable dial enabling it tobe' adjusted according to cir-' cumstances, though an automatic measuring device is not excluded'if, inKfcertaincaSeSQ this may bedeemed more suitable forthe purpose; Thewater level may be indicated" by a glass p'late letinto a-slit in the side" of the tank Whichwill 'avoid the risk -of breakage'attendant upon the use of an ex.

ternal gauge glass. i

For ordinary purposes, an efiicientsluice valve is proposed, convenientlywithin reach of'the operators hand so that he can Incas-{ ure the quantity of water aboutto go into the drum according to the scaleonhista'nh This valve: will be large enough and suitable for the l'owest of pressures and at the same time can 'be replaced by a hand pump,

if desired;

By way of illustration a few' typical ei invention will here be described in*connec-' including tar and-bitumenmixing, mortar mixlng and various kinds of contractors" to circumstances, such as weather, temperature, humidity or -dryness"-ofthe 'atmosphere, pressure-0f the supplyand'the condi- FoRsTER,

amples of our invention. are shown in the accompanying drawings, reference j being made to these inthe further description drum?! mixer associationwith a tipping water t'ankthe' various "parts being shown more or lessidiagrammatica'lly.-- r

i ureQ representsthe' same r'ni-lvler after 0 u i I l will Figureg is viewflat i ght angles; to

the movable "parts have moved.

gome alternative; forms are illustrated in side elevation in the three small remaining figures, all illustrating o'pen drum mixers, combined with a non-tipping water tank.

Figure 4 showing a discharge cock, 1 Figure 5 discharge plug, and" Figure 6 a piill-rod"discha'rge device.

Describing =one' application and *form of our invention "with reference to Figuresfl,

2- and 13;,- by way of 'examplje," and Without entering into unnecessary detail, wepropose to proceed as follows, A concrete mixing machine of the frusto-conical" ope'n drum; type i is taken this type havingprovision for swingingtlie'drum 1 about ahorizontal axis in the 1 Well known manner. This" actionwr swinging the! drum fr om-' its discharge position into its charging ipositio'n', at asuitable moment, causes awater tank 3,

driirn l, thepivots l being mounted in bearings carriedby bracketarm's 11 on the main frame; SLR The flnechanismfor tipping the mounted on I a member of the "frame 1 -8 in such 'jia manner that when the [said stud 5 hits one I end of the le ver 7 the otheni end" conyeniently Fpivot'edabove ityat 4f, totip over "and' discharge "its "contents into the s'wings theoppesite This other 'end is. r

connected bya hinged link 9; to a small ra'- pivots 4 of the? tank so that the latter' is' forced to tip over under the'impulse of the pressure ofthe stud-"5, the power involved in this] being trifling. Figure 2j'shows the tank, 3 in its ti'pped:=position. 1 A delivery tents completely whilst the drum 1 is charged with the solids and returned to its proper position (approximately at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2) for the mixing operation by which time, or at any earlier stage, the water tank 3 will have been restored to its original upright or horizontal position as seen in Fig. 1. Should it be desired to add a little water after the mix has been effected the same tipping mechanism can be utilized in a limited degree by the operator tilting the drum back and thereby slightly tipping the tank 3 so as to cause some water to overflow. VVhilstthe mix is taking place in the drum 1, the water tank 3 can be recharged with water. The level of the water is perceivable through a gauge glass 13.

If it is desirable, the water in the tank 3 can be measured by an independentmethod, or can be charged direct into the tank from the main pressure until the desired amount is again registered on the glass indicator plate 13. The supply of water can be fed through a pump from the existing water main through an overhead tank, or from spme previously arranged measuring devlce.

Some of these alternative arrangements are illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

In Fig. 4, the lever 7 is shown connected to an arm 14 controlling a cook 15 placedbetween the tanks outlet pipe 16 and the delivery chute 12 which in this form is equivalent to a nozzle. The tank 3 may be kept supplied with water by the usual bal float 17 or in any other manner.

v In Fig. 5an external pull rod 18 is shown which in known manner lifts an internal plug valve 19 when the rod 18 is pulled, the connection between the lever 7 and the rod 18 being made through levers 20- and- 21, so that the pressure of the stud 5 against the lever 7 causes the latter to swing upon its pivot. and thereby open the plug valve 19 and so cause the water to be discharged into the drum 1 through, the chute or 'nozzle 12". ;The stud 5 shown 'in' the other'figures.

is replaced in Fig. 6 by aradial finger '22, and the pull rod 18 for lifting the plug19 has a turned-up end 23 which is adapted to be engaged by the finger 22 as the drum 1 swings into its position for receiving its charge, the water being delivered through the nozzle 12 in a similarmanner to the previous arrangement, a ball float 17 being 1 shown in this case also. a

the drum is moved Our invention is capable of further variation without departing from its essential feature, which is the provision of an automatic fluid delivery apparatus for use with concrete or other mixers.

We claim:

1. The combination of an oscillating mixing drum having "an opening for the entry and discharge of material to'be treated and drum element'is brought to move the same when said drum opening is presented in liquid-receiving position to said outlet.

2. A mechanism as in claim 1 in which the liquid outlet has a fixed position.

3. A mechanism as in claim l'in which the cooperating elements of the liquid control are a lever and a stud connected with the drum, the lever having anarm in path of movement of said stud.

4. The combination of an oscillating mixing drum, having an opening to receive material to be operated on, a source of supply of liquid,rmeans to direct liquid from such source, to the drum opening when the latter by oscillation of the drum is brought contiguous thereto, and liquid flow control means comprising an element connected with and moving with the drum, and a movable element supported independently of the drum having'a part in the path of movement of the drum connected element, into and out of contact with which the latter moves by the drum oscillation.

5. The combination of an oscillating mixing drum, having-an opening to receive material to be operated on, a liquid holding tank with a liquid outlet mounted to swing inopposite directions to move such outlet to'and from discharge position, said drum beingmovable to and from position to receive liquid coming from such outlet, and means'to swing said tank in the direction to place its outlet in discharge position when into liquid receiving position.

6. The combination of an oscillating mixing drum, having an opening to receive material to be operated on, a liquid holding being movable to. and from position to re 'ceive liquid coming from such outlet, means to swing said tank in the direction to place the v its outlet in discharge position when the drum is moved into liquid receiving position, comprising a stud carried by the drum and a lever connected with the tank and having an arm in the path of said stud.

7. The combination of an oscillating mixing drum, having an opening to receive material to be operated on, a liquid holding tank with a liquid outlet mounted to swing in opposite directions to move such outlet to and from discharge position, said drum being movable to and from position to receive liquid coming from such outlet, means to swing said tank in the direction to place its outlet in discharge position when the drum is moved 'into'liquid receiving position, said tank swinging in the opposite direction by gravity.

In witness whereof we have signed this specification.

JOHN FAULDER BURN; JOHN STUART LANCASTER. 

